Thiruvananthapuram: With an aim to help
unwed mothers in the tribal hamlet of Wayanad district in
northern Kerala, government today announced a social security
relief package including one acre land and a house for them.
Talking to reporters here after cabinet meeting here,
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said as per the records with
state Commission for Backward Classes, there were 910 unwed
mothers in Wayanad district.
However, as per the information of police, the number
of unwed mothers would be more than 1500, Chandy said, adding,
the "government view the incident of exploitation of women
very seriously and will take legal action against those
responsible for the harassment".
It was also decided to enhance the pension of Rs 300
announced by previous LDF government to unwed mothers to Rs
1000, Chandy said.
On the question of `rice for Rs one per kg scheme` for
BPL categories, he said the government wanted to link the
scheme with Centre`s Food Security Act programmes.
However, the state would implement its scheme from
coming Onam festival season in September, if there was delay
in linking the scheme with that of the Centre`s, Chandy said.
It was decided to constitute a cabinet sub-committee
with Chief Minister as Chairman to sort out any problems in
the implementation of rural works, he said.
The committee was formed in the wake of criticism that
dividing the Department of Local Self Government under three
ministers in the newly formed UDF ministry would result in
diluting decentralisation process in the state, Chandy said.
However, bifurcation of the department would in no way
affect the administration initiatives, he said.
Another cabinet sub-committee with Finance Minister K
M Mani, Irrigation Minister P J Joseph, Minister for Public
Works V K Ebrahim Kunju and Minister for Rural Development K C
Joseph would be be constituted to speed up construction works
in the state, Chandy said.
The first session of the 13th Kerala Assembly would
begin on June 24 with the address of Governor R S Gavai.
The new budget would be presented during the session
that would last till July 20, he added.
PTI
